Cheap doesn't always have to mean ugly, and this laptop stand is proof. It's not a work of art, but it's both functional and minimal, stays out of the way tucked against a wall under your laptop, and it brings your laptop's screen up to eye-level (or mostly, at least) so you can see it comfortably. Plus, the whole setup will only set you back about $8 in parts from Ikea.

You'll need three things for this laptop stand: two Ekby Valter brackets ($3), one set of Rull screws ($4), and one Lycka (not available online, but $1) to connect the two brackets. All of the components together will set you back just about $8 USD. Just glue the components together (the screws fit into holes in the base) and rest your laptop on the uprights, with the screen all the way open. Plug in an external keyboard and mouse, and you're all set, with a much more ergonomic setup than hunching over a screen.

If you use your laptop with a second display, this could bring the screen up to the same level as your second display, and it doesn't take up any more space than the footprint of the laptop itself if it were resting flat on the desk. What do you think, a good-looking Ikea hack, or a poor substitute for a more expensive laptop stand? Let us know in the comments below.